The present invention relates to a valve-timing control apparatus for an internal combustion engine, in which opening and closing timings of intake valve and/or exhaust valve are controlled, and relates to a cover member that is used in the valve-timing control apparatus.
Recently, a valve-timing control apparatus is proposed in which opening and closing timings of intake or exhaust valve are controlled by transmitting rotative force of an electric motor through a speed-reduction mechanism to a cam shaft and thereby varying a relative rotational phase of the cam shaft to a sprocket to which rotative force is transmitted from a crankshaft.
Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2012-132367 discloses a previously-proposed valve-timing control apparatus. In this technique, a slip ring is provided to a front end portion of the electric motor whereas a power-feeding brush is provided to a cover member which is placed to face the front end portion of the electric motor through a space. By causing this power-feeding brush to be electrically in contact with the slip ring by means of biasing force of a coil spring, electric power is supplied to the electric motor.
Moreover, in the above previously-proposed valve-timing control apparatus, one end portion of a flexible pigtail harness is connected with a connector terminal whereas another end portion of the flexible pigtail harness is connected with the brush. Accordingly, electric power is fed from a battery through the connector and the pigtail harness to the brush.